Rontgen apparatus



Jan; 12, 1932. R. FEISSLY v 1,841,242

RON'IGEN APPARATUS Filed April 12, 1926 Patented Jan. 12, 1932 NITED' A'TEs PATENT orrlcs ROBERT FEISSL Y, OF LAUSANNE, SWITZERLAND, ASSIGNOR TO THE FIRM: ELEK- TRIZITATSGESELLSGHAFT .SANITAS M. 3. IL, OF BERLIN, GERMANY I RGNTGEN APPARATUS Application filed April 12, 1926, Serial No. 101,475, and in Switzerland A rn 1a, 1925'.

My invention relates to improvements in Riintgen apparatus, and more particularly in apparatus for diagnostic examination and for taking photographsby means of Rontgen rays. Apparatus of this class such as are now in use are provided with means for preparand easily operated, and which avoids any errors in the operation. With this object in view my invention consists in providing a time switch in-conncction with acontrolling hand switch, the hand switch being at first set for-throwing the examination apparatus into operation. If it is desired to make an exposure thehand switch-is set intoposition for setting the Rontgen box into operative position and thereafter exposing the sensitized plate, the time for the exposure, which ordinarily is only a fraction of a second, being determined by setting the time switch.

For 'thepurpose of explaining the invention an example embodying the same has been shown in theaccompanying drawings,

in which the same reference characters have been used in all-the views to indicatecorresponding parts.

In said drawings,

Fig. 1 is aperspectiveelevation showing the switch apparatus,

Fig. 2 isa sectional elevation 'taken on the line 22 of Fig. and showing the controlling hand switch,

Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view taken on the 5 line 33 of'Fig. 2,

Fig. 4 is a topsplan view with partsin sectionshowing the time switclnthe dial being partly broken away,

Fig. 5 is a detail view on an enlarged scale withparts broken away showlng a framelprovided with the fluorescent screen, the Rent- -.gen box and means, for holding the said tem. ing the exposure forinstance replacing the ,Inthe example shown in the drawings the controlling apparatus comprises a table 2 having a case I mounted thereon, the top plate 3 of the said case consistingxof insulating material such as marble. On a shaft mounted within the said case a switch drum 6 is mounted, and theend of the said shaft projecting through the top plate 3 carries a hand lever 4 provided with a pointer 31 playing-over buttons a, b, c, d. Further, a time switch "5 is mounted on-the plate 3," the object ofthe saidswitch being to determine the time for preparing the apparatus and the time of the exposure. The drum 6 carries six contactsegments I, II, III, IV, V, VI, of difierent circumferential extent, adapted to make contact with six brushes I, II, III,IV', V, V

VI The segment I is of such circumferential extent that'it is in constant contact with the brush I, the remaining segments making contactwith the corresponding brushes dependent on the position of the drum.

Above the drum 6 the shaft ,30carries a notched disk 7 the notches 37 of which are engaged by a roller '8 carried by a lever 9 rockingly mounted on the case 1 at 10 and acted uponby a spring 11 "tending to hold the same in engagement withthe disk 7, the object of the said roller and lever being. to insure the correct POSltlOIlSIOf. the contact segments of the drum 6 relatively to the brushes. Thedifi'erent positions of the contact segments of the drum 6 relativelyto the brushes and corresponding to the positions of the lever i relatively to the buttons a, b, 0, d have been indicated in Fig. 6 by broken lines any.

()n a frame 24 providing a horizontal guide a frame 22 is mounted for being movable in lateral directiom-and in its lowersection the frame 22 carries a fluorescent screen 23. The vertical side members of the frame 22 provide guide ways 22 for a frame 21 adapted to receivea box 41 containing a sensitized plate. The frame 24 is ordinarily mounted on a stand (not shown). T o the top part of the frame 21 a string 25 is attached which is trained on rollers 88, 39 mounted on the frame 22, and which carries a button 40 at its free end. The frame 2 is adapted to be lifted into the position shown in the figures by means of the string Q5, and it is held in the said position by means of an electrically controlled locking mechanism. As shown the said locking mechanism comprises an electromagnet 19 mounted in a bracket 42 fixed to the outside of one of the vertical members of the frame 22; the armature 20 of the said electromagnet is rockingly mounted at 43 and is formed with a nose E20 projecting, when the electromagnet is deenergized, through the said member of the frame 22 and into the guide way 22 and into position below the elevated frame 21. lVhen energizing the electromagnet 19 the armature 20 is attracted so that the nose 20 releases the frame 21 of the box, which therefore drops by gravity, so that the box 41 is in position in front of the screen 523.

The upper section of the frame 22 is covered by a lead plate 44 adapted to protect the elevated box 41 from the Rontgen rays.

The time switch 5 comprises two pointers 13 and 14 movable across the dial 12, and the said dial is provided with marks representing fractions of seconds. Below the dial there is a clock work (not shown), which tends to return the pointer 13 into zero position after it has been turned by hand from its zero position and in the direction of the arrow 16. The pointer 13 carries a linger 32 which projects dow wardly therefrom, and which is adapted to engage a contact spring 18 carried by the pointer 14 when being returned into zero position by the clock vork for carrying the same along and into Zero position, the pointer 14 having been moved through a smaller angle than the pointer 13, as will be described hereinafter. The pointer 18 is adapted to be set on any of the marks of the dial representing time by means of a button 15 fixed to its spindle 45. A button 17 carried by the end of a spindle 46 is provided for coupling the pointers 14 and 13 by means of coupling means not shown in the figures, for simultaneously turning both pointers out of the zero position by rotating the button 15 and simultaneously depressing the button 17. The hub of the pointer 14 is engaged by a brush 36 connected to a lead 59, and the hub is formed with an insulating portion 47 disposed so that the brush 36 engages the same when the pointer 14 is in the zero position rela tively to the dial. The clock-casing is connected with a lead 63. The pointer 13 is electrically connected with the casing through the clock work, while the pointer 14 is insulated from the said parts. hen

Ordinarily the time switch is arrested by means of a locking heel E26 providing the armature of an elcctromagnet 26 disposed within the clock an d engagin a locking cross 48 connected with the clock work. W hen energizing the electromagnet 2c the locking book 26 is retr: :ted away from the cross 4+3, so that the pointer 13 is released and allowed to be moved by the clock work mechanism towards the zero point of the dial. The pointer 14- controls the time of the photographic e. :1 )osure, an e pointer 13 controls the time for the preparatory operations, viz. the setting of the box 41 in front of the screen 23 and the rising of the temperature of the filament of the ltiJntgen tube to the temperature required for the tfIPOSUlQ, the time of the preparatory operations being dili'ercnre li etweon the times set by both pointers. For example, in the position of the pointers shown in Fig. 4 the time of the exposure is about 0,11 or 1/9 second, and the time for the preparatory operations about O,EZSU,11 0,17 or second. hen setting the pointers on the said marks of the dial I prefer at first to depress the button 17 and to turn the button 15 in the direction of the arrow 16 for simu taneously turning both pointers to the maria 0,11, and thereafter to release the ontton 1? and to continue only the movement of the pointe' 153 to the point Fig. (3 shows he electrical connections of the system with an alternating curit not fill. 51 having a neutral wire The bi. h l connected with the lead 56. The brush ll is coni'iecteiil by a lead 53 with the terminal Tl) of an autotransfornier ll of known kind hav- 1115." a single coil and sewing to regulate voltage. as is known in the art. The brush 111 is connected to a wire 54, 54 connected to the net wire 51 and including the primary of the heating transformer T of the Rontgen tube T and two resistances R if. A lead con ects a ln'ush IV with a point between the resistance R R The brush V is connected by a lead 56 with the clectromagnet 19 F which QlGUtl()i11fl)j!1Gt is further connected bf." a lead 538 with the neutral wire The brush V1 is coiniected by a lead with the electromagnct 26 (Fig. 4). which is lilreuse connected by t e lead 58 with the neutral wire 52, the said neutral wire being further connected by the wire (33 with the casing of the time switch 55. The lead 59 connecteiil to the brush 36 located within the clock immaterial connected to the lead 57. The terminals 70 of the autotransformer R is further connected by a lead 60,60 including a switch J with the net wire 50, and the other terminal 71 is connected by a lead 61, 61 with one terminal of the primary of the transformer T for the working current of the Rontgen tube T, the otherterminal ofsald primary being connected *ith the controlling lever 68 of the autotransformer R by lead '61 including a. variable resistance R The resistance R3. is adapted to be short-circuited by means of a switch J 3 connected in shunt therewith. The switches J and J 3 are so connected with the relay J by: means of a rod 62 that they are closed when current flows through the relay J The rod 62 is acted upon by a tension springJ tending to open the switches J and J Thesecondary of the transformer T is connected by leads 64, 65 with the cathode and anode respectively of the Rontgen tube T andtthe secondary of the transformer T is connected by leads 66, 67 with the heating filament of said tube.

l/Vhile the whole system is disconnected from the source of alternating current the box 41 containing a sensitized plate is placed into the position shown in Fig. 5 and the time switch 5 is set as above explained.

Now the lever 4 is set with the pointer 31 011 the button (Fig. 1) Thus the segment IV makes contact with the brush IV, and the primary current flows through 50, I, I,

-" IV, IV, 55, R 54, T 51, inducing in the secondary circuit of the transformer T a heating, current of sufficient intensity for taking photographs. Now this heating currentis set to the necessary intensity corresponding to the character of the exposure by means of the resistance R It will be understood that for example for taking a photograph of the skull of a person the Riintgen tube T must'be heated more in.

tensely than for taking a photograph of the Now the system is in position for making an examination and a following exposure.

- For making an examination the lever 4 is set with its pointer in position above the button a. In this position the contact between the segment III and the brush III is maintained,

' andxin additiont-hesegment II makes contact with the brush II, so that heating of the Rontgen tube T for examination is coninued and a second circuit is closed through 50, I, I, II, II, 58, R, 69, 54, T 51, the secondary current of the autotransformer R flowing through 68, 61, R T 61, 71. Thus the transformer T supplies working current to the R-ontgen tube which is operated so as to project the object on the screen 23 for examining the same.

If it is now desired to take a photograph, the lever l is turned from button a over I) and c to button cl. As the lever passes to the button 5 the contact IIII is broken, and the operation of the tube is temporarily interrupted, and when passing from b to 0, the contact IIIIII is interrupted, and immediately thereafter the contact. IVIV is closed. Therefore hereafter the primary current of the heating transformer T flows exclusively through the resistance R so that the Iibntgen tube 5 heated by means of a stronger current, as is necessary for taking a photo-graph. Finally, when the lever 4 passes from 0 to (Z, the contact is maintained at VIV, and the contact segments V and VI make contact with the brushes V and VI. Therefore current flows from the lead,

through I, I, V, V, 56, 19, 58 to 5,2; the electr-onlagnet 19 attracts itsarmature 20 so that the nose 20 releases the box frame 21, 1111i; the'box 41 drops by gravity and places itself in front of the screen 23. Simultaneon v. current flows from 50 over I, I, VI,

V3, 57, 26, 58 to 52, so that the electromagnet 26 is energized and the locking cross 48 and the clock work is released. by the hook of the armature of the said electromagnet. Now the pointer 13 begins its movement in the direction towards the zero mark of the dial. Within the interval of the time between the beginning of the movement of the pointer '13 and the engagement of the pointer 14 thereby, the Rontgen tube is heated so far as is necessary for taking a photograph, and

the box 11 gets into position in front of-the screen 23. When the pointer 13 makes contact with the pointer 14 the finger 32 carried thereby makes contact with the spring 18, so that a current flows from 50 over I, I, VI, VI, 57, J, 59, 36, 14, 18, 32, 13, 5, 63 to 52. The relay J attracts the rod 62 against the tension'of the spring J- and closes the circuit at J and J so that the resistance R is short-circuited. Now the primary current of the autotransformer R flows from 50 over 60, J, 60, R, 69, T to 51 and its secondarycurrent through 68, 61, J T 61, 71. By thus short-circuiting the resistance R the current supplied to the transformer T is suflicient for producing the current intensity necessary for taking photographs. As soon as the said connectionhas beenmade exposure begins, and it lasts until the pointers 13 and 14mming in unison arrive on the zero mark of the dial. Now the insulating portion 47 of the hub of the pointer 14 engages the brush .36 so as to interrupt the circuit including the relay J Therefore the relay J releases the rod 62, so that the spring J 2 opens the contacts J and J", and the resistance It is again included in the circuit of the transformer T Thus the conditions necessary for projection of the object on the screen are reestablished, and the exposure is finished. Immediately thereafter the whole system can be switched out by hand for completely interrupting the operation.

An important feature of my invention resides in that by only operating the lever of a hand switch the system can be rearranged from the position for examination to the position for making an exposure, the operations being successively performed by the action of the switch in the predetermined succession, so that erroneous manipulations are impossible. By setting the system to a definite time for performing the preparatory operations the heating wire of the tube is heated to a definite temperature before the high voltage current is made operative. Thereby short-circuits around the tube are avoided which might be caused by the current being prevented from passing through the tube by reason of insufficient heating.

While in describing the invention reference has been made to a particular example embodying the same I wish it to be understood that my invention not limited to the construction shown in the drawings, and that arious changes may be made in the general arrangement of the apparatus and the construction of its parts without departing from the invention.

I claim:

1. A Rontgcn apparatus, comprising means for making diagnostic examinations, including voltage transformer and a resistance controlling the voltage of said voltage transformer, means for making exposures including means for short-circuiting said resistance, a controlling hand switch and a time switch adapted to be connected with said hand switch for temporarily operating said means for short-circuiting said resistance.

2. A Rontgen apparatus, comprising means for making diagnostic examinations, means for making exposures including means for producing X-rays and a normally inoperative holder for a sensitized plate, a controlling hand switch, means controlled by said switch for throwing said holder into op eration, and a time switch adapted to be connected with said switch for throwing said X-ray producing means for making an exposure into and out of operation.

3. A Rontgen apparatus, comprising means for making diagnostic examinations including a voltage transformer and a resistance controlling the voltage of said voltage transformer, means for making exposures including means for short-circuiting said resistance of the voltage transformer and a normally inoperative holder for a sensitized plate, a controlling hand switch, means controlled by said switch for throwing said holder into operation, and a time switch adapted to be connected with said hand switch for temporarily operating said means for short-circuiting said resistance.

i. A Riintgen apparatus, comprising means for making diagnostic examinations including a voltage transformer and a resistance controlling the voltage of said voltage transformer, means for making exposures including means for short-circuiting said resistance of the voltage transformer and a normally inoperative holder for a sensitized plate, a controlling hand switch, means controlled by said switch for throwing said holder into operation, and a time switch adapted to be connected with said hand switch for temporarily operating said means for short-circuiting said resistance, said means being designed for connection with the contacts of said hand switch so that tie operations to be simultaneously performed are controlled by the same operations of the switch.

5. A Rontgen apparatus, comprising means for making diagnostic exan'iinatioi'is, mes for making exposures, means for preparing the exposure, a hand switch controlling the said exposure making means and preparing means, said means for preparing the exposure comprising a time switch adapted to be connected with said hand switch and adapted when operated first to run idle a predetermined period of time and thereafter to throw said means for making an exposure into and out of operation.

6. A Riintgen apparatus, comprising means for making diagnostic examinations, means for preparing exposures, means for making exposures comprising an Xray tube, a controlling hand switch, said means for preparing exposures comprising a time switch adapted to be connected with said hand switch and being under its control, a reay for throwing in the exposure current of the X-ray tube, means connecting said time switch with said relay, said time switch h ving means for independently setting preparatory and subsequent exposure time and for automatically throwing said means for making an exposure into and out of operation.

7. A Rontgen apparatus, comprising means for making diagnostic examinations, means for preparing exposur means for making exposures con'iprising an X-ray tube, a controlling hand switch, said means for preparing exposures comprising a. time switch adapted to be connected with said hand switch and being under its releasing control,

a relay for throwing in the exposure current of the X-ray tube, means connecting said time switch With said relay, said time switch having an exposure time hand, a preparatory time hand, means for imparting an idle movement to said preparatory time hand during the preparatory time,and for bodily moving both hands during the subsequent exposure time.

8. A Rontgen apparatus according to claim 7, said time switch having means for carrying on said exposure time hand by said preparatory time hand. I

9. A Rontgen apparatus according to claim 7, one of the hands of said time switch having means for coupling the hands for bodily movement.

10. A Rontgen apparatus according to claim 7, said time switch having means for carrying along said exposure time hand by said preparatory time hand, said means being simultaneously contacting elements.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

DR. ROBERT FEISSLY. 

